Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-06-22
Gales aud Sketfhts.
THE PICKLE ARTIST.
(Cortinued from Yesterday

! tradicted her words
Ibid you noto" in his impressive tone.
You might have known should come
after on had said I would not be quite
unwelcome.'
She sat down and drew gaudy ORR
entail shawl about her shoulders. She
was qaiie harmonious from the top OF her
artistIcallv coiffed head to her narrow
sipper-tip. A delicate suggestion of a
Derfume-so few women know how to
use scents-was waited toward him BY
earh slow motion of her scarlet feather
fan. Voices and subdned laughter came
from the other end OF the piazza, mingled
with the strains of waltz then IN vogue
Up in the sky full moon was hanging
and a low wind blew from the south.
1t was very pleasant, altogether. So
pleasant that the city. with its hot pave
ments and its din, its harrassing docu-
bills, faded quite away into the dim re-
cesses of Beauty VANS memory. His
monetary complications, in fact. seemed
to assume a tar less pressing aspect-in
the propinquity of an heiress kindly dis
| posed.
There are certain potentialitles OF
riches in the atmosphere that make power
| ty. to the most INDECENT artist appear al
together far less present and personal
matter.
Not that Vane Stevenson directly con-
templated the possibility of his ever being
untrue to Bell Bell was dear little
thing, and there was a world of character
hidden beneath that delicate beauty OF
hers. She was wrapped up in her love
for him also No. he would not wrong
her. But his ease and pleasure loving
artiet's temperament was agreeably
caressed and stimulated by all that atmOs-
phere of luxury and artificiality in which
the Lawton's and such as they moved and
had their being The tlattery his talent
and his personal good looks brought him
in such circles ted his vanity delight
fully. 1t was in his nature to 90 with
the current. And the current here
| happened to exercise par
ticularlv pleasant compelling power
The next day was one OF those vouch-
stated occasionally to mortals that they
NAV know how the earth looked when
the world was young and
Sang with her sister spheres" A
day of long, rare, dream like hours. A
bright blue morning, with hazy veil
over lakes and mountains, a drowsy noon,
still afternoon, spell-bound under its
fainting shadows a pale moonlit evening,
redolent with faint odors and full of
mysterious sounds as OF a myriad voices
of whispering nature.
They had been off on a coaching party
and gone All day.
When Mrs. Lawton went to her room
that night she was pensive and abstract
ed.
Don't flirt too much with Vane Stephen
son Rhoda," she said to her daughter
"Of course he's charming fellow-ir
his way-and all that But don't pusl
matters too far"
'Firt with hm!" repeated Miss Law
ton in wide-eyed wonder.
"Yes. tlirt with him. Don't play limo
cence You flirted outlageously with hin
AL day. If you lead him on in that way
he will propose next. And you know
how your father would disapprove you
marrying poor man."
| Miss Lawton made no reply. She smiled
a little behind the shielding screen of hail
the maid was letting down over hel
shoulders.
Miss Lawton was that not uncommon
product of American sofia daughter
who did as she pleased.
She had had a number of seasons "out'
and exhausted very much of her capacity
for receiving fresh sensation from the
round of experiences her society life
afforded. Vane Stephenson was different
from the style of men from whom she
came in customary contact and she haC
! Col 30 low ,,,;t hn boz bao
in a vague sort of way that he haC
been attentive" to some unknown cir
not in society, but she did not hold there
was any definite engagement; Stephen
son had been rather careful about leaving
her unenlightened on that point. dc
not know whether it would have made
any difference with her if she had known
Her belief was that any woman was en-
titled to "fellow' if she could get
him. For her own part, she did not de
SPAR of getting this particular ont
now. She was clever enough to know
what she was about in suggesting hi:
coming to the Springs. The hourly pro
pinquity Of fashionable hotel at coun
try resort the horseback rides in common
the rows, the moonlight saunterings-they
were doing their accustomed work.
And Beli-Bell at home in the hot cit,
with complaining Jessie and Tom. VIII,
could get nothing to do" and all tb,
children-Bell with hollows deepening
under her sad eyes-was forgotten.
Miss Lawton's marriage to Van,
Stephenson was among the first of tn,
autumn weddings. 1t made quite ripple
of excitement. Lawton pere had becom,
reconcled. having had no alternative LEFT
him. The artistic coterie decided tina
Beauty had done devilish good thing
for himself"
Hang that fellows luck" said one
knight of the palette. II thought he was
engaged to some girl as poor as himself
waiting to make his fortune to marry her. '
"Oh-engaged. don't think that
Spooney. perhaps"
And thus here. too. among his associates
no one knew of Bell.
Immediately after the wedding Mr.. and
Mrs. Stephenson had gone abroad. Vane
had SET med rather anxious to get away
from old scenes for time.
When they returned the following
spring Vane one day met Tom upon the
street. Since his ring, his letters, bis
photographs and his few little gifts to her
had been sent back without word or q
line, it was the first time anyone belong
| Io>tl 1, 4